A pivotal Premier League gameweek awaits as relegation rivals, top-four hopefuls, and title contenders all face defining tests.
Pressure mounts at the bottom with crucial clashes involving West Ham, Wolves,
and Burnley, while mid-table sides look to solidify recent momentum.
Brentford and Sunderland meet in a battle of form teams, while Aston Villa continue their title push against a struggling Crystal Palace.
Manchester City and Chelsea aim to avoid slipping further behind Arsenal, who face their toughest challenge of the week against Liverpool.
With fine margins across the table, this round could significantly reshape both ends of the standings.
Tuesday
West Ham v Nottingham Forest
West Ham suffered their most damaging defeat of the season last week, being comprehensively outplayed in a 3–0 loss to fellow relegation contenders Wolves.
The Hammers have taken just one point from their last five matches and currently sit inside the relegation zone. Jean-Clair Todibo and Lucas Paquetá are doubts for this encounter.
Nottingham Forest also arrives in poor form after suffering a fourth consecutive defeat, this time against Aston Villa.
Forest remain 17th, only four points clear of West Ham, making this a hugely significant fixture. Dan Ndoye and Callum Hudson-Odoi are doubts, while John Victor is ruled out.
Wednesday
Bournemouth v Spurs
Bournemouth extended their winless run to five matches following three draws and two defeats. The Cherries have failed to build on their strong start to the season and now appear stuck in a rut.
Speculation surrounding Antoine Semenyo’s future continues, but he is expected to be available. Ryan Christie and William Dennis are ruled out.
Spurs stretched their unbeaten run to three games with a draw against Sunderland. Tottenham took an early lead through Ben Davies but were pegged back by a fine Brobbey finish.
Wilson Odobert and Mohamed Kudus are doubts, while Xavi Simons is expected to return from suspension.
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Brentford v Sunderland
Brentford enjoyed an emphatic victory over Everton last week to climb into seventh place. Igor Thiago starred with a hat-trick, while Collins added a fourth, extending the Bees’ unbeaten run to five matches.
Three wins in that stretch underline their growing momentum.
Sunderland recorded a fourth consecutive draw to stretch their own unbeaten run to five games and maintain a top-ten position.
Draws against Manchester City and Spurs in recent weeks highlight their resilience. Wilson Isidor is a doubt due to a knock.
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Crystal Palace v Aston Villa
Crystal Palace suffered a fourth defeat in five games after losing to Newcastle last week. The Eagles have struggled at both ends of the pitch, prompting Oliver Glasner to seek solutions in the transfer market.
Christopher Richards, Jefferson Lerma, and Nathaniel Clyne are all doubts.
Aston Villa returned to winning ways by beating Nottingham Forest, and with Manchester City dropping points against Chelsea, Unai Emery’s side now sit joint second in the title race.
Pau Torres, Amadou Onana, and Tyrone Mings are ruled out through injury.
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Everton v Wolves
Everton were stunned by a 4–2 home defeat to Brentford last week, slipping out of the top half of the table.
The Toffees were uncharacteristically fragile at the back, a far cry from the defensive solidity associated with David Moyes.
Improvement will be required against a Wolves side buoyed by their first win of the season.
Wolves’ 3–0 victory over West Ham lifted morale, though they remain deep in trouble near the foot of the table. João Gomes is ruled out, while Hee-chan Hwang is a doubt.
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Fulham v Chelsea
A stunning last-minute long-range strike earned Fulham a point against Liverpool at Craven Cottage last week.
That goal extended the Cottagers’ unbeaten run to five matches, including three wins, moving them level on points with 10th-placed Brighton. Joshua King is a doubt.
Chelsea also needed a late goal to rescue a point, with Enzo tapping in Malo Gusto’s cross against Manchester City. The Blues have drawn their last two games and sit fifth in the table.
Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, and Robert Sánchez are doubts, while Moisés Caicedo is expected back from suspension.
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Man City v Brighton
Pep Guardiola was left frustrated after watching his side miss several chances before conceding a late equaliser against Chelsea.
The draw was City’s second in a row, allowing Arsenal to open a six-point gap at the top. With little margin for error remaining, City must respond. Nicolás González and Savio are doubts.
Brighton returned to winning ways with a comfortable 2–0 victory over Burnley, ending a four-game winless run. The Seagulls moved back into the top half and will arrive with renewed confidence.
Yakuba Minteh faces a late fitness test.
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Burnley v Man United
Burnley remain firmly in relegation trouble despite showing brief flashes of improvement in recent weeks.
Defensive lapses continue to undermine their efforts, and consistency remains elusive as they sit inside the bottom three. The Clarets lost two-nil against Brighton last week.
The big news out of Manchester United is the departure of manager Ruben Amorim on Monday.
The Red Devils have struggled for consistency this season and will look to return to winning ways in this fixture.
Manchester United will look to capitalise on Burnley’s struggles as they push for European qualification.
While performances have been uneven, the Red Devils possess enough attacking quality to cause problems if they control the tempo.
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Newcastle v Leeds
Newcastle will aim to build momentum after steadying themselves in mid-table following a difficult spell earlier in the season.
The Magpies secured a much-needed two-nil win over Crystal Palace last week and will be eager to make it three straight wins in this clash.
St James’ Park has traditionally been a stronghold, and the Magpies will back themselves to impose physical dominance.
Leeds arrive full of confidence after a strong run of results that has pulled them clear of the relegation zone.
Their energy and pressing could trouble Newcastle, making this a potentially open and entertaining encounter. Leeds have drawn four and won one of their last five games.
Thursday
Arsenal v Liverpool
Arsenal host Liverpool in the standout fixture of the gameweek as the league leaders face one of their toughest remaining tests.
Mikel Arteta’s side has opened a small cushion at the top, but know that any slip could reignite the title race.
The Gunners ground out a 3-2 win over Bournemouth last week and will need to be more disciplined at the back in this fixture.
Liverpool remains inconsistent despite recent positive results and will need to rediscover their attacking edge to leave the Emirates with anything.
The Reds were pegged back by a late Reeds goal of the season candidate against Fulham last week.
